Booster, pix, the ‘N’ word: what’s new in the German language | Study and work in Germany | Dw

The Duden Spelling Dictionary is the most authoritative and reliable publication reflecting the development of the German language. Every three to four years a new printed version of it is published. And in the meantime, the online version of the dictionary is being updated. This year, more than 500 new words and phrases have appeared in it.

The new vocabulary is a kind of mirror of the life of German society – it reflects the main topics of public discussions in Germany, as well as events that significantly influenced the inhabitants of the country. According to Duden editor-in-chief Kathrin Kunkel-Razum, there are so many new words that have come into everyday use in Germans that their selection has caused a very intense debate among linguists. It was last so tumultuous 25 years ago when it came to spelling reform.

Pandemic and German

The pandemic, of course, has had a huge impact on the German language. A fifth of all new words in Duden are related to the coronavirus and measures to combat its spread. PCR-Test – PCR test, Long Covid – postcoid syndrome, Piks – a small, almost painless skin puncture, for example, during vaccination – just a few examples. There are two other new words associated with vaccination: Boosterimpfung is a booster shot, which is recommended after vaccination, as the number of antibodies decreases over time, and the verb boostern is “to boost”.

The “H” word and other concepts against discrimination

The development of political correctness and the fight against discrimination also contributed to the establishment of new vocabulary. For example, the new concept “N-Wort” (word with “H”) in Germany is increasingly heard in order to avoid the racist designation of a person with a dark skin color. Another term that has come into use is Anglicism “woke” (woke). It is used to characterize people who pay increased attention to issues of social, racial and gender discrimination.

Recall that in the summer of 2020, when the last printed edition of Duden was published, it included a “gender asterisk” (Gendersternchen) – the * sign used to denote both sexes when addressing several people at once in writing. Now in the online version of the dictionary, the word “Trans” (trans, short for “transgender”) has appeared – this is the name of a person whose gender identity does not coincide with biological sex. This term, enshrined in the spelling dictionary, reflects the debate about equality, diversity and tolerance in German society.

Discussions about an open and diverse society in Germany are changing the German language

There is also a word from pedagogy. “Systemsprenger” is the title of the 2020 film of the year film of the year by German director Nora Fingscheidt. The main character is a difficult aggressive child that social workers cannot cope with. Now this is the name for people with behavioral or mental disorders for whom traditional methods of upbringing or treatment do not work and new approaches are required.

New German Verbs

Also, the Duden dictionary includes concepts of interest from the point of view of word formation. In particular, the widely spread verbs derived from nouns were added: podcasten (podcast), whatsappen (whatsapp). Finally, you can learn how to correctly use prefixes and suffixes when conjugating them.

A page in the dictionary is also awarded to the concept of Stadtradeln – literally – to ride a bike around the city. Derived from the noun “Stadt” – a city and the verb “radeln” – to ride a bike, the Germans use this term to refer to an annual campaign to improve conditions for cyclists in cities. In 2021, more than 800 thousand people took part in it.

See also:

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  German idioms

  To understand nothing

  If the Germans do not understand what is happening around them, they often say: “Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof” (literal translation: “I only understand the station”). It is not known where this idiom came from or if it is related to high noise levels at train stations. Perhaps this expression arose during the First World War, when soldiers tired of the war only wanted to get to the station and go home to their relatives.

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  German idioms

  Stand on the hose

  “Auf dem Schlauch stehen” – this is what the Germans say when they are completely at a loss, they do not understand anything and cannot make a decision. The train of thought is symbolically disrupted, as if someone stood on a garden hose, blocking the flow of water.

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  German idioms

  Board in front of the head

  The idiom “Brett vor dem Kopf” came from agriculture: stubborn oxen had boards attached to their heads in front of their eyes so that they would not be distracted during plowing. In this case, it is also difficult to understand the essence of what is happening.

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  German idioms

  Don’t make up for it

  It is difficult to find a suitable rhyme for some words, just as it is difficult to find a suitable explanation for some situations or events. In such a situation, the Germans say: “Ich kann keinen Reim darauf machen”. Literally it means: “I cannot find an explanation for this.”

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  German idioms

  Can’t see the forest for the trees

  The explanation for this idiom is simple. If you cannot see the forest behind the first rows of trees, then you are concentrating too much on details, not noticing the obvious big picture.

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  German idioms

  With the Latin at the end

  Here is a possible origin of the idiom “Mit dem Latein am Ende”: the situation when something cannot be translated into Latin, because the corresponding word simply does not exist. Another explanation: those who studied Latin, memorizing only quotations, do not know the language itself. Therefore, he can easily find himself at a dead end.

  Author: Dagmar Brightenbach, Victor Weitz

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